Sun shine, good customer service and good dinner out.

For our son John

 

We could not say our last farewell

Or even say good-bye

For you were gone before we knew

And only God knows why.

As you can see I’m back to posting. The price with Verizon - $10 per extra GB -  isn’t too bad and I’m curious to see how many extra GBs we’ll use in 13 days. The regular price is $50 for 5GBs a month. And we’ve never even come close to going over it. But I did find out that for $80 a month we can get 10GBs. Not worth it for us.

Construction or I should say destruction on the upstairs bathroom started yesterday. The contractor has worked for us before and he is very good. The thing I like about him is he really loves his work. Don’t think I’ve ever seen such a happy person when they are working. And he has lots of good ideas on how to improve things. Yesterday he got the bathroom almost gutted. Discovered the tub had been sunk in three inches of concrete when it was put in. What a mess – also discovered water damage behind it too. The tub was installed when the house was built in 1972 – it is cast iron! Going to be a bear to get downstairs!

Late yesterday afternoon we went into Columbus to Best Buy and returned the Surface. No problems, no extra fees. I was surprised they took it back without a fuss. I will stick to my new camera and old laptop for now. Don’t need anything else to mess with. Technology has gone so far past what I need…..or understand….

After that we went to pick out the vanity etc for the bathroom. Then to dinner. Discovered that one of our favorite restaurants serves a Senior dinner of liver and onions, one of my favorite things. We usually are in town earlier in the day so haven’t had dinner there before. So much food I couldn’t finish it. And very good. It is a small Indiana chain – Lincoln Square.

Our contractor is also bringing us lots of mulch – he gets it free from the landfill. The landfill grinds up all the vegetation and makes it into mulch, supposed to be pretty good stuff. And Bill has continued to plant more hostas along our bank to the street. Sure hope the deer repellant works because they love hostas. And more of our flowers are blooming every day. So pretty.

Lots of blooms on this one. 

Back to shorts and t-shirt weather here. Yesterday it reached 90 here in the hills. And no rain for us. Today is supposed to be cloudy and only in the mid-80s. And wouldn’t you know tomorrow it is supposed to rain and we’ve made arrangements to pick up the Alfa and bring it home. Hope the weather holds until we get home. 

Not posting for a while

Between using the wifi with the camera and the new Surface we've about used up our monthly - until the 28th - supply of GBS and I understand it is very very expensive to go over so until I figure out if I can purchase more at a reasonible price we will not be going on line very much. Going to call Verizon to see what I can do.
And the construction starts on the bathroom today - so lots to do.
11:30
Have talked to Verizon and it isn't too bad. I will have to pay only $10 per GB extra that we use. And we will not be using that many! Going to return the Surface - not really something we need at this time. Especially with limited Internet time. And won't be using MiFi to put pictures from camera to computer. Phew! Feel much better.
Georgous weather today - well this morning at least - might get rain this evening - but that's okay. going to be in mid 80s with a nice breeze. Have all the windows and doors open - smells so good as neighbor is cutting his grass.

Making Brooms in Nashville, IN

Yesterday afternoon we went into our little town just to get out into the sunshine and move around a bit. A few tourists were out and about but not too many so luckily it was easy to find a parking place for that huge Ram truck.

A friend of ours just bought one of the older restaurants on the main street and is remodeling it into a restaurant, supper club and sports bar. {They also own and operate a beautiful Spa in town.]

The grand opening is in a couple of days but yesterday it was open with a limited menu for lunch. So we visited a bit and ate lunch. Bill had a Caesar Salad that he said is one of the best he has ever eaten. And I had a very good Garden Salad. I think I’ve mentioned before that the little town rolls up its sidewalks about 6 p.m. so if we want to go out to dinner we have to drive into one of the bigger towns around us. Well this restaurant will now be open at night. Hallelujah. And it seems like they are going to have a good menu. Wishing them the best.

Then we walked around a bit to see what was new and found a broom making shop. What attracted me to it were the walking sticks out front. We’d been looking for nice walking sticks in Mazatlan but couldn’t find any. And here they are.

Walking into the shop called Broomcorn Johnny's, the first thing we saw was the owner, Brian Newton, busy making the sweeping part of a broom. He is working on a rather large broom called a Barn Broom. 

Some information about the sweeping part of the broom. Never knew what they were made of.

Some of the broomcorn waiting to be used.

A big supply of twine to tie the brooms. And a couple of brooms made using the walking stick handles.

The broomcorn has to be weighed out for each style of broom. 8 ounces for a regular broom.

Holding the broomcorn in a machine from 1873! While in here Brian wraps the twine around the broom to hold it in shape. This is what he was doing when we first came in. 

He uses a special tool too pass the twine through the broom to knot it in place.

Bundles of colored broomcorn waiting to become brooms.

A display of colored brooms for sale.

Another machine behind him. I'll have to go back in and ask what it is for. 

This is called a ribbon broom, two different colors. 

Very interesting. They opened their shop just after we left last year in November. Here is their web page link
We live in an interesting little town. 

Simple things amuse simple minds.

Up early this morning as Bill had docs appointment for blood drawing. One of those things he has to do now on a regular basis. And it was blooming COLD out 33 degrees! I expected to see frost on the meadows but didn’t. Guess cause it was too foggy/misty out. Going down the hill into town.

The sun trying to shine.

On the way home we were going to stop at the only restaurant in the little town that serves breakfast. But couldn't. It isn't open on Mondays! 

This is going to be kind of a simple things amuse simple minds blog.

Yesterday morning we went into big town for breakfast. And on the way home of course I was playing with my camera. Here is some Brown County Yard Art.

And evidence of the hard winter. Last year it wasn’t leaning quite so much.

I mentioned the ferris wheels with corn that we put on the trees out front. Well the squirrels finally got brave enough to try them. He is eating the corn.

They are on the ground under him eating the kernels that drop.

Be interesting to see how long it takes them to figure out how to get to the other three pieces. 

Because it was so pretty out yesterday – though cold – I went outside and walked around the yard some. Lots of flowers are blooming.

We planted these Lilly of the Valley a couple of years ago and this is the first time they’ve bloomed. 

They smell so good. They remind me of when I was a real little girl living on a lake in New York state. We had a big wood pile and they bloomed all around the wood in the shade. Them and violets.

Another bloom in the middle of no where. Maybe it’s a columbine – not sure.

And one of the bushes – just beginning to bloom.

Walking around the pond I noticed all the pollywogs in it. The frogs have been busy this year.

A closer look at some of them.

Just looking across the side yard towards the woods in back. It really is a pretty area.

Not much on the agenda today. Trying to learn more about the Surface and how it works. Maybe a little cleaning – or maybe not.

And we're still waiting for the contractor for the bathroom repairs.

Tried yesterday to talk my son into trading me his truck for my Mustang convertible. He said NO! Truck has original motor in it. He found it sitting in a field in Montana a couple of years ago.